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New range of simple to assemble 00/EM gauge pointwork kits - EM B7 Prototype - First Look


NFWEM57
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I have been fortunate enough to receive an advanced item

 

410.jpeg.603c5cdddc6418314f1423151a734429.jpeg

 

Only had the time to open the packet and glance at the instructions. First impressions are very impressive, it seems to take the best ideas from previous kits and combine them. At first glance the items look top quality

 

The instructions are the best I have seen to date, as I have said just glanced at them but so professionally made, and looks to be easily followed. A style that other kit manufactures could follow

 

I have a busy weekend, with the garden, allotment and my work bench screaming out, I will try and upload an update this evening

 

Top job Wayne  :D

 

 

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3 hours ago, hayfield said:

I have been fortunate enough to receive an advanced item

 

410.jpeg.603c5cdddc6418314f1423151a734429.jpeg

 

Only had the time to open the packet and glance at the instructions. First impressions are very impressive, it seems to take the best ideas from previous kits and combine them. At first glance the items look top quality

 

The instructions are the best I have seen to date, as I have said just glanced at them but so professionally made, and looks to be easily followed. A style that other kit manufactures could follow

 

I have a busy weekend, with the garden, allotment and my work bench screaming out, I will try and upload an update this evening

 

Top job Wayne  :D

 

 

Can't wait for similar packages to turn up at my front door.

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1 hour ago, Enterprisingwestern said:

 

Prioritize man, prioritize!

 

Mike.

 

 

I am trying to adapt P4 chairs to EM gauge of a different crossing angle

 

407.jpeg.20550ba084c6003d948f754f2190d981.jpeg408.jpeg.717a02eac61f7577edfb3110baaa8610.jpeg

 

As well as working well its even better if it looks good especially when the components do not quite exist, plus all rail joints are required. First job done as it works (without check rails) now to make it pretty 

 

The good thing about Wayne choosing both EM and 00SF is that by tightening up standards improves performance. The 00 gauge turnout will look so much better than anything else on the market

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WOW

 

I have have started to build the turnout and an amazed at the ease of building it, something I doubted slightly. The instructions as I said are very good but unless I missed it it details the building processes. This though should be obvious. Again the best set of turnout instructions I have ever seen, both in derail and presentation. Modelling should never be a race and after building the first one they should be easily completed within an hour as designed

 

419.jpeg.be612f57799ba723f5bf00c6ec552006.jpeg 420.jpeg.dc1e9b960641a8c6fdcf40bd07553ed6.jpeg

 

The first job is to solder a wire to the back of the common crossing, then glue it in place

 

421.jpeg.47dd965addb54cc2050bd7e2add2c209.jpeg422.jpeg.85b443545b061ce085d1442e445f7f7c.jpeg

 

Next up is to cut the straight rail to length and finish off the ends, the rail slides very easily through the chairs. I have taken it a step further by notching the stock rail where the join is supposed to be and once the rail is in place etched fishplates are glued in place

 

423.jpeg.ecd0dc01a8103ebac3daba59aa0d67d5.jpeg424.jpeg.d760286f1d2d0e462cce88f634d1485c.jpeg

 

The curved stock rail was prepared the same way, but I gently curved it first and made the set (bend) before threading the rail. I then reread the instructions and found out I should have fitted the switch rails first. I will have to be very careful when fitting them.

 

I started to fit the common crossing extension rails, as can be seen I have fitted cut down plastic fishplates (not prototypical) as they can act as electrical insulators

 

425.jpeg.ffabf4cfb0296023acce6a09f3fbade9.jpeg This is the Exactoscale version, also available from C&L

 

Well this is where I got to last night (both plastic fishplates were fitted

 

Update

 

Etched fishplates removed from the stock blades, stock rails moved to allow the tiebar and switch blades to be fitted. These turnout kits are extremely robust and will suite a very wide range of abilities, even those who think they are very ham fisted

 

As I said the first build is the most difficult and perhaps easier for novices, as those of us who build track have evolved our own ways of doing things. Wayne has produced a simple and clever method

 

 

 

 

Edited by hayfield
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Hi John,

 

Looks very good. :)

 

Are these the first ever instructions from the trade to mention making the set?

 

And having made it, how well does it slide through the switch front chairs? Are they flexible enough to give a little as the bend passes through? Might it be better to cut off the first two timbers, and insert them back on the rails after assembly?

 

Likewise the flared ends on the check rails. Do you thread the bent ends through the chairs? Or make the bends after threading? Are the end check chairs handed?

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

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Martin

 

The turnout is not very good but excellent

 

Sadly no mention of the set !!

The switch slides very smoothly

I could have removed the first two timbers, but the etched fishplates came off easily enough

 

Not fitted the check rails yet but I will form them first then slide them through, the instructions say bend them after cutting

 

No keys on any chairs (our expectations on what we want from trackwork are really increasing)

 

It really is a super product, especially in its ease of construction. Also the turnout is very robust yet pliable enough

 

One word or warning to track builders, the construction sequence differs from the usual hand built processes, this is not a complaint, but a mistake I made in my haste to build it.

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18 minutes ago, hayfield said:

Sadly no mention of the set !!

 

I give up. :(

 

I know I've got a bee in my bonnet about it. But the set really is the key to getting a properly gauged switch with the switch blades seating properly. It's also prototypical. And such a simple thing to do.

 

You mentioned making the set, and using Exactoscale fishplates, etc. So this is more of a kit-bash than a review of the product as supplied? No harm in that, but beginners need to know.

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

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53 minutes ago, martin_wynne said:

Hi John,

 

Looks very good. :)

 

Are these the first ever instructions from the trade to mention making the set?

 

And having made it, how well does it slide through the switch front chairs? Are they flexible enough to give a little as the bend passes through? Might it be better to cut off the first two timbers, and insert them back on the rails after assembly?

 

Likewise the flared ends on the check rails. Do you thread the bent ends through the chairs? Or make the bends after threading? Are the end check chairs handed?

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

Thanks Martin for asking about the set. It is the one question I had and look forward to John’s reply.

 

Keith a ham fisted modeller 

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19 minutes ago, Robert Shrives said:

This is all looking very good and it is great to see the 4mm area enjoying the benefits of the N gauge version first produced by Wayne just a few years ago.   I look forward to building a 4mm one just for fun.

 

Robert  

 

Robert

 

EM is 4mm I assume you are referring to the 00SF one

 

A word of caution, rightly Wayne has chosen to use the 00SF gauge, which is fine for modern and kit built stock. But modellers will have to be aware of maintaining suitable back to back gauge with their stock, the benefit will be improved performance

 

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On 28/03/2021 at 11:19, hayfield said:

 

Robert

 

EM is 4mm I assume you are referring to the 00SF one

 

A word of caution, rightly Wayne has chosen to use the 00SF gauge, which is fine for modern and kit built stock. But modellers will have to be aware of maintaining suitable back to back gauge with their stock, the benefit will be improved performance

 

I was in reality happily lumping the wide river of 4mm interests together and how it is catching up with how Wayne helps the 2mm/ N  river..might not be so wide but is fairly fast flowing.  Good note on OOSF, hopefully suppliers of models will sort back to backs and flange depth having read of some variation recently.  happy modelling  and looking forward to your build. I too found in 2mm getting blades in early helps the build- even if in the real world it is the other way round !- would not fancy bolting up 4mm tiebars- It is bad enough in 14ba in Gauge one The late Bob Symes had bolt up tiebars on his single slip that I restored a few years ago.     

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Quick question as I'm thinking ahead.....;)

 

I don't know enough about 3D printing materials, but wondered how well do 3D printing resins accept paint?

 

Do you need a special primer/paint to ensure it adheres to the resin basin sleepers?

Edited by gordon s
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4 hours ago, gordon s said:

Quick question as I'm thinking ahead.....;)

 

I don't know enough about 3D printing materials, but wondered how well do 3D printing resins accept paint?

 

Do you need a special primer/paint to ensure it adheres to the resin basin sleepers?

Most resins take paint very well. Halfords' car primer from cans works fine. It's also possible to paint directly onto the clean resin, at least with acrylics.

 

There might be issues with the more flexible kinds of resin, in the sense that the paint film might not be robust against flexing. But I have not tried these. In any case, sleepers wouldn't be flexing much.

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 Thanks John for posting pics and your initial review.

  

6 hours ago, martin_wynne said:

Are these the first ever instructions from the trade to mention making the set?

I have positioned and arranged the chairs around the switch so that a set bend is not necessary. It's arranged so that it won't go under gauge at the toe of the switch blades.

 

As it functions perfectly, I opted for the least number of steps needed to build the turnout.

 

Besides, a set can still be added for anyone that wants to!

  

6 hours ago, martin_wynne said:

Likewise the flared ends on the check rails. Do you thread the bent ends through the chairs? Or make the bends after threading? Are the end check chairs handed?

You make the bends for the check rail flairs first, then thread them in. Yes, the end check rail chairs are handed, following the flair of the check rail

 

 

1384949784_checkrailflairchairs.JPG.e59644ace58f20a3df6eaed00782dec4.JPG

Edited by Wayne Kinney
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16 minutes ago, Wayne Kinney said:

I have positioned and arranged the chairs around the switch so that a set bend is not necessary. It's arranged so that it won't go under gauge at the toe of the switch blades.

 

Hi Wayne,

 

I'd like to see a drawing of that. Having gone to so much trouble to get the rest prototypically correct it seems strange to depart from it for the switch geometry. It's not as if making a set bend is difficult, and you are asking users to make 4 other bends in rail for the check rail flares. If beginners use these kits as an introduction to track building they really do need to learn about making a set in the diverging stock rail. And if they try curving the kit to match a Templot curved template they will see the set marked on the template, but confusingly not referenced in the kit.

 

More about the set in the diverging stock rail here:

 

https://85a.uk/templot/companion/real_track.php#planing_types

 

cheers,

 

Martin.

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Thanks Martin,

 

It functions perfectly fine and stock runs through smoothly without. As I've already explained, with the design intent being 'Easy Build Turnout Kits' I opted for the least number of steps needed to build the turnout. Nothing strange or confusing, I think.

Those modellers that wish to go the extra step of adding a set bend can do so, that's the great thing about the kits. Extra details can also be added, nicely demonstrated by John adding in the cosmetic fish plates.

 

Thanks for the link, it's very informative :)

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4 minutes ago, Wayne Kinney said:

Thanks Martin,

 

It functions perfectly fine and stock runs through smoothly without. As I've already explained, with the design intent being 'Easy Build Turnout Kits' I opted for the least number of steps needed to build the turnout. Nothing strange or confusing, I think.

Those modellers that wish to go the extra step of adding a set bend can do so, that's the great thing about the kits. Extra details can also be added, nicely demonstrated by John adding in the cosmetic fish plates.

 

Thanks for the link, it's very informative :)

Absolutely agree.

 

Not all modellers want to include every detail but the system looks flexible enough for those who do. You can't satisfy everyone's requirements but these seem to satisfy most.

 

Nicely done.

 

Bob 

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I've made quite a lot of turnouts. The first attempt was around 60 years ago but I could never get the switch to work to my satisfaction. That was until Martin educated me about the set. Prior to that I had no idea there even was such a thing :D

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1 hour ago, Wayne Kinney said:

Thanks Martin,

 

It functions perfectly fine and stock runs through smoothly without. As I've already explained, with the design intent being 'Easy Build Turnout Kits' I opted for the least number of steps needed to build the turnout. Nothing strange or confusing, I think.

Those modellers that wish to go the extra step of adding a set bend can do so, that's the great thing about the kits. Extra details can also be added, nicely demonstrated by John adding in the cosmetic fish plates.

 

Thanks for the link, it's very informative :)

 

Wayne

 

Where it will be an issue is if someone wants to modify the turnout into a curved turnout. I can see that you are aiming at a low ability level and as I have said I am blown away at its simplicity. Its people like me that make things a lot more difficult for themselves. 

 

As I have said its the best set of commercial turnout instructions I have seen, in both simplicity and layout. In fact its so laid back, initially I thought it was a set of notes. Its even simpler than I first thought, a bit like those clip together Airfix kits. Rather than plug and play , its slide and play

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14 hours ago, Wayne Kinney said:

Thanks Martin,

 

It functions perfectly fine and stock runs through smoothly without. As I've already explained, with the design intent being 'Easy Build Turnout Kits' I opted for the least number of steps needed to build the turnout. Nothing strange or confusing, I think.

Those modellers that wish to go the extra step of adding a set bend can do so, that's the great thing about the kits. Extra details can also be added, nicely demonstrated by John adding in the cosmetic fish plates.

 

Thanks for the link, it's very informative :)

I have to say having now made 3 of them , albeit prototypes, not having a set, was unproblematic..!  These turnouts, assembled as per the instructions, are aimed at those who might never have contemplated making their own turnouts; be it EM or OO.  This has opened up the making of more prototypical turnouts to a huge potential audience and is decades overdue.  Were we really, with all the innovations in RTR rolling stock,  DCC etc, going to plod on forever more with, save for the EMGS B6's, two main choices - Peco or scratch build?  As has been indicated, you can modify if you want or need to.  But Wayne's products are going to make a huge difference and his turnout range, and the EMGS B6s, are all I need for my intended layout(s).  I remember going to see the first Lord of the Rings movie and, at the end, the lights came on and a well spoken man was berating the movie and almost shouting, "so much was missing, it was made too simple, all these people will now think they understand Tolkien".  Maybe, I thought (amongst other things), but surely that was the point (no pun intended)...!  I have no desire at my age to have to undertake a 10,000 hour apprenticeship on turnouts, an hour or two will suffice..!  Well done Wayne. 

Edited by NFWEM57
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Without wishing to get embroiled in arguments about whether, or not to have a set in the turnout stock rail, would it be an idea to add a footnote to the instructions mentioning it for the uninitiated, who may in future wish to add the set.

 

 

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